The new South Korean law, nicknamed the “Google power-abuse-prevention law”, amends the country’s Telecommunications Business Act, the law that regulates all telecommunications business in Korea, to prohibit large app marker operators from requiring the use of their own in-app purchasing option. The law also prohibits app market operators such as Google and Apple from delaying or unfairly banning apps from their marketplace. This is to prevent retaliation.
Apple stated in a statement that it would not deny Epic’s request. Apple’s denial of Epic’s request was normal, considering that the law is new. Apple needs to give time for the company to decide what actions it must take in compliance.
Google has never asked Epic Games to do the same. Despite Google’s own attempts at maintaining a stranglehold over the Play Store, most of the problems Epic has highlighted have been with Apple. Epic Games was forced to sue both Google Play Stores and Apple App Stores after Fortnite was removed.
The original #FreeFortnite campaign was marked by the release of a commercial titled “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” spoofing Apple’s iconic 1984 Super Bowl commercial. It was made to play within Fortnite after the game had been removed from the App Store. Epic Games claimed that Epic Games had defied Apple’s App Store Monopoly during the video. Apple is blocking Fortnite for a billion users as a reprisal. #FreeFortnite – Join the fight and stop 2020 from becoming “1984.”
